Mercedes-Benz E500

Relentless rationality wrapped in stylish bodywork.

November 2002
By
CSABA CSERE

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"Engineered like no other car in the world."

For decades that was the Mercedes motto. But under the onslaught of new competitors from Japan and a surging BMW, the company in the early 1990s moved away from the cold rationality implied by that slogan and toward a warmer, and perhaps fuzzier, image of itself. Judging by this spanking-new E500, however, we don't think anyone told the engineers about the change.

Under its stylish skin, the E500 comes standard with the Airmatic DC suspension that electronically juggles - 20 times per second, although our managing editor refuses to believe this - four stages of shock-absorber damping, two levels of air-spring stiffness, and variable ride height at all four wheels to achieve the optimal balance between ride and handling.

When the driver applies the brake pedal, he or she is actually pressing a sensor that takes the request for deceleration and separately sends precisely metered hydraulic pressure to each of the four brake calipers based on the vehicle's speed, cornering attitude, and amount of braking required. The accelerator is also connected to the engine only by electronics. As a result, the engine-management computer provides different amounts of acceleration per increment of accelerator-pedal movement for a gentle driver or a leadfoot. Even the power-steering system, which does retain a direct mechanical link to the front wheels, alters its degree of power assistance according to a series of tables burned into an EPROM in yet another microcomputer.

Lest you think all of the E500's technology has originated with the computer and electrical engineers, the new car is also graced with an unusually sleek, sturdy, and lightweight body. The hood, the trunklid, the front fenders, and the various internal panels are stamped from aluminum. Of the steel panels, 42 percent of them are formed of various high-strength steels. And some of these employ a new stamping technology that varies the thickness of the metal from 0.045 to 0.035 inch on the same body panel.

The result is an 18-percent improvement in resistance to twisting, even though the overall weight of the body structure is essentially unchanged. Meanwhile, the drag coefficient remains at the excellent 0.27 figure scored by the previous E-class, with rear lift reduced 10 percent, according to Mercedes.

None of these technical esoterica is nearly as obvious as the major restyling of this E-class. The four-eyed front end that debuted with the previous model in 1995, and which has been expanded and adapted across the Mercedes line, has now come full circle and has been updated on the original.

The new front end is laid back to form a steeper and sleeker prow, and the headlights are enhanced with clear lenses and highly detailed projector-beam lighting units. In profile, the new model is not radically different from its predecessor, but a slightly higher, more rounded roofline does produce a more coupelike ambience. In back, tapered corners and SL-like taillights are much more interesting-looking than the blocky tail of its predecessor.

One of the strengths of the previous E-class was its interior package. The new model, with a wheelbase almost an inch longer, continues this tradition. Compared with the BMW 5-series, Audi A6, and Lexus GS, the E-class delivers noticeably more rear-seat space.

Trunk space is also up slightly to 16 cubic feet, and for the first time, the trunk is supplemented with an optional folding rear seat ($500). Moreover, when you specify the folding rear seat, you get a front-passenger seatback that folds fully forward, allowing you to accommodate items up to 114 inches long.

Such practical talents may seem mundane, but they are critical in the E-class, which has long been the mainstream Mercedes family sedan around the world. That said, Mercedes has been working on the warm and fuzzy aspects of the E-class since the last generation, and the new car has more emotional appeal than any previous version.

The most obvious change is the V-8 model's escalation from a 4.3-liter powerplant to a 5.0-liter. Although peak power only increases from 275 to 302 horsepower, torque jumps from 295 to 339 pound-feet and peaks at 2700 rpm, 300 rpm down the scale from the previous E430 model's peak.

This power increase slices a few 10ths off the E430's 0-to-60 time to 5.8 seconds. The quarter-mile is covered in 14.3 seconds at 99 mph. Moreover, the performance is smooth, silent, and utterly effortless. Squeeze the throttle on the highway, and the E500 surges ahead even without a transmission kickdown. And when you do provoke one of the five-speed gearbox's fluid downshifts, the car leaps forward with more energy than any of its competitors that we've tested.

Cruising along at the elevated speeds the E500 can effortlessly attain is a secure experience, with the brainy suspension constantly matching the spring and damper settings to the road conditions. On smooth roads, the Benz glides along silently and serenely, with that air-bearing-like smoothness only the best German cars seem to produce.

On rougher Michigan roads, the body maintains an even keel, without so much as a creak or a groan provoked by even the hardest hits. The 245/45HR-17 Continental ContiTouringContact tires don't smother every tiny pavement zit and crease, but the overall ride is comfortable and well-controlled.

Turn up the speed, and the E500 maintains its controlled demeanor, even when the pavement causes the wheels to pump furiously. With 0.81 g of cornering adhesion available, there's plenty of grip for any maneuver you are likely to perform on public roads. But when you start cornering hard at higher speeds, the steering effort becomes genuinely heavy. This high effort lends an air of solidity to the handling, but it also makes the E500 seem less than willing or agile.

The brakes are plenty powerful. The Sensotronic system does a fine job of apportioning the braking force to match the traction of the four wheels. But when you quickly remove your foot from the accelerator to prepare to brake for a corner, the system thinks you are preparing for a panic stop and preloads the hydraulic circuit. As a result, the brakes bite immediately, and you tend to dip the nose more than you wanted to.

Leaving the Airmatic DC suspension in the softest setting probably works best under most circumstances because selecting a stiffer mode simply locks out the more resilient modes of the suspension. The stiffest of the three modes produces an unyielding ride on most pavement, although we concede we didn't try it on a racetrack. Given our druthers, we would probably calibrate the system so the current soft mode is the intermediate setting and produce an even softer setting for everyday cruising.

It's in the everyday give-and-take that the new E500 seems happiest, in part because a new interior restores the rich ambience that many customers longed for in the previous generation. The band of wood and polished aluminum snaking its way across the door panels and dashboard is most attractive, and all the dash panels are molded from low-gloss soft plastic that feels positively rich. Same goes for the gathered-leather panels where your elbows touch the door and the center armrests. Even the lower parts of the dash give a little when your knees brush against them.

The brakes are plenty powerful. The Sensotronic system does a fine job of apportioning the braking force to match the traction of the four wheels. But when you quickly remove your foot from the accelerator to prepare to brake for a corner, the system thinks you are preparing for a panic stop and preloads the hydraulic circuit. As a result, the brakes bite immediately, and you tend to dip the nose more than you wanted to.

Leaving the Airmatic DC suspension in the softest setting probably works best under most circumstances because selecting a stiffer mode simply locks out the more resilient modes of the suspension. The stiffest of the three modes produces an unyielding ride on most pavement, although we concede we didn't try it on a racetrack. Given our druthers, we would probably calibrate the system so the current soft mode is the intermediate setting and produce an even softer setting for everyday cruising.

It's in the everyday give-and-take that the new E500 seems happiest, in part because a new interior restores the rich ambience that many customers longed for in the previous generation. The band of wood and polished aluminum snaking its way across the door panels and dashboard is most attractive, and all the dash panels are molded from low-gloss soft plastic that feels positively rich. Same goes for the gathered-leather panels where your elbows touch the door and the center armrests. Even the lower parts of the dash give a little when your knees brush against them.

The main three-gauge instrument cluster is a study in legible and elegant simplicity. A display within the large speedometer provides information from the sound system, trip computer, optional navigation system, and optional Distronic radar-controlled cruise-control system ($2950). In the center lies a revamped version of the Mercedes COMAND system, and this one is far more intuitive than its predecessors. The climate controls are segregated at the top of the stack, and the sound-system functions are handled below in a manner that no longer requires intensive study of the owner's manual.

Our E500 was equipped with the Panorama roof ($1500), which not only comes with a rather large sunroof but also replaces the sheetmetal above the rear passengers with a fixed sheet of glass. Opened up, you can view the sky from all seating positions.

You can also add a solar-cell-powered ventilation fan to this fancy sunroof or simply opt for a conventional sliding panel. How about three different styles of optional seats? Or an in-dash CD changer, or the fine Harman/Kardon stereo ($700) with which our car was equipped.

For $63,602 as equipped, the E500 cannot be described as a bargain. But it is effortlessly powerful, extremely capable, stylish, elegant, and eminently practical. It can also be fitted with every technological feature and luxury option you can imagine -- as well as many you can't. Those who can afford to drive one every day should consider themselves fortunate.

DANIEL PUNDOur test car was too tricky by half. The Airmatic DC suspension and Distronic automatic cruise control work as promised. But I'm a simple man of simple pleasures. I don't really desire either of these things. Oh, and the electronic brakes are just unpleasant to use. With full application, they stop the car in a short distance, but the pedal is more like a switch than the rheostat it should be. It's either gentle speed retardation or full-on caliper clamp. The basics of the car are excellent: good ride, commendable handling, and great stability. And the V-8 absolutely honks. But I'd opt for the V-6 and drop all of the gizmos and gadgets.

TONY SWANYears ago there was a TV ad that ended with Jill Housewife saying, "Mother, please! I'd rather do it myself!" Jill's tone suggested an ax murder was next. These ads came to mind while I was piloting this E-class. It's a lovely car — plenty of smooth power, handsome interior styling, superb high-speed stability — but like Jill's mom, it overdoes it on the too-helpful front. The electronic braking assist makes it difficult to achieve smooth modulation. The Distronic cruise control produces irritating slow-downs. And the electronic map for the power-steering effort defies understanding. JÃ¼rgen, please! I'd rather do it myself!"

AARON ROBINSONKitted with the fatter tires and firmer springs of the optional Sport package, this E500 leaves driving impressions that lesser versions may not quite match. Caveats (and brakes) aside, the E500 is swift, stable, never nervous, and endowed with all the high-velocity composure of its predecessor. Better yet, the sharper, more assertive steering erases much of the old car's back-road stodginess. But the big leap is in the design. The sheetmetal parts the air with exceptionally clean, curvaceous lines, and the interior dials and controls are the most intelligent of any current Benz. Plus, the E still weighs several hundred pounds less than the competitors. Encore, Mercedes!

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